Americans love beef ; we eat nearly 63 pounds per person each year . Although that 's a lot , the amount is down from our 1976 high of 89 pounds . When buying beef , we tend to stick to what we know , which may be why almost 60 percent of our beef dollars go for ground beef . Even as an experienced chef , I often brought home familiar cuts . But researching my book , `` Field Guide to Meat , '' led me to expand my repertoire to tasty , if less familiar , cuts like hanger steak and tri-tip . Soon you can do the same , knowing which cuts to choose for maximum flavor and nutrition .

A 3 1/2 - ounce serving provides 27g to 30g of protein and is an excellent source of iron , zinc , and phosphorus .

Beef Background

Humans began domesticating cattle , Bos taurus , about 8,500 years ago . Columbus first brought cattle to the New World , and by 1690 , descendants of Columbus ' cattle ranging in Mexico were driven north and became known as Texas Longhorns . Others arrived later with the colonists . America 's top five cattle breeds are Angus from Scotland , Hereford from England , Limousin from France , Simmenthal from Switzerland , and Charolais from France .

More than 90 percent of the beef we buy originates in America , while most of the rest is Canadian bred . The beef we eat comes mostly from 18 - to 24-month-old steers , averaging about 1,000 pounds , and yielding about 450 pounds of meat . Each is divided for wholesale into eight primals -LRB- major portions -RRB- : the chuck -LRB- shoulder and upper ribs -RRB- , the rib , the loin , the sirloin -LRB- hip -RRB- , the round -LRB- upper leg -RRB- , the brisket -LRB- breast -RRB- , the plate -LRB- belly -RRB- , and the small flank . Organs like liver and kidneys are called variety meats .

When evaluating your choices at the grocery store , here are a few key terms and facts to know :

• Grain-finished : Nearly 75 percent of U.S. beef comes from cattle fattened on grain -LRB- usually corn -RRB- for three to six months in feedlots . Since corn is not a natural part of a cow 's diet , cattle fed on it may experience stress and other ailments , so they are routinely treated with antibiotics . They also receive growth hormones to increase their size -LRB- and value , as beef is sold by weight -RRB- . Until recently , inexpensive corn has helped keep down the price of beef .

• Grass-finished : Grass - or pasture-finished beef comes from cattle that forage on grasses and legumes . Their meat is lower in saturated fat , cholesterol , and calories than grain-finished . -LRB- Because it is quite lean , cook rare to medium-rare for juiciness . -RRB- Grass-fed beef has a distinct flavor , often described as bold , complex , and gamy . Many people believe that grass-fed cattle are a more sustainable choice . However , raising grass-fed cattle is time-consuming and requires large open spaces , variables that raise its price . Most is imported from Canada , followed by Australia , New Zealand , Argentina , and Brazil .

• Aging : Dry-aging is the traditional process preferred by many steak lovers . The concentrated , intense flavor of dry-aged beef develops as it hangs in special temperature - and humidity-controlled rooms from 10 days to six weeks . The longer the aging , the better the flavor and tenderness , but also the more the shrinkage as water evaporates and a dark crust develops , which must be cut away . About 90 percent of American beef is sold as large vacuum-packed cuts . During the average seven-day period the beef spends `` in the bag , '' it ages in a process called `` wet-aging . ''

• Processing and packaging : Until the 1960s butcher shops bought beef as half - or quarter-carcasses . Packers then began selling vacuum-packed beef , the same large cuts sold at warehouse club stores . Retailers refrigerated the boxes until needed , then opened the package and cut the meat into portions for sale . Next came case-ready meat , which precluded the need for skilled butchers on-site in markets . Leak-proof and easily stackable , case-ready packages are produced in USDA-inspected plants and have a longer shelf life . Packages covered with a sealed layer of clear plastic are modified-atmosphere packages , which have a gas-filled space inside to help preserve freshness and color .

Nutrition

• Fat content : The USDA defines `` lean beef '' as having less than 10 grams -LRB- g -RRB- of total fat , 4.5 g or less of saturated fat , and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3 1/2 - ounce serving -LRB- 100g -RRB- of cooked beef . Half of the fat is saturated and half is heart-healthy monounsaturated . There are 29 naturally lean cuts of beef , including many familiar to Cooking Light readers , such as tenderloin , flank steak , and sirloin , as well as five lesser-known cuts . Others , such as ribeye or chuck roast , naturally contain more fat , although it is similarly divided between saturated and monounsaturated .

Because lean beef contains less fat , it 's best cooked to medium-rare -LRB- 145 °F -RRB- or medium -LRB- 160 °F -RRB- to optimize tenderness . If using fattier cuts , slice away the outer rim of fat and cut or pull out any pockets of fat before cooking . For larger cuts , allow the fat to baste the meat while cooking , then trim away before eating , or skim it from the surface of braised dishes or stews .

• Other nutrients : A 3 1/2 - ounce serving provides 27g to 30g of protein -- more than half of the 50g recommended daily in a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet . All beef is an excellent source of iron , zinc , and phosphorus . In general , the redder the meat , the more iron it contains -LRB- beef liver has the most -RRB- . Beef also contains thiamin , riboflavin , and niacin and is a rich source of B12 , found naturally only in animal foods . CookingLight.com : Fat and Ground Beef

At the Market

• Inspection and grading : USDA inspectors examine all live animals and beef shipped out of state , which encompasses most of today 's supermarket beef . Grading is voluntary and done by the same inspectors . The more marbling -- the small white flecks of fat within the muscles -- the higher the grade . Three grades of beef are sold to consumers . Only three percent is highly marbled Prime , sought after by top steak houses and butcher shops . About 57 percent is moderately marbled Choice , the most common supermarket grade . The remaining 40 percent is lean Select .

• Private labels : Supermarket chains and large food distributors also have developed private brands with their own specifications . The first such program began in 1978 with Certified Angus Beef , which must come from Angus cattle . Niman Ranch Natural Beef and Certified Hereford Beef are two others .

• Natural and Organic : Beef labeled `` natural '' must not contain any artificial ingredients and can not be more than minimally processed , such as ground beef . `` Organic '' beef must come from cattle raised and certified according to the USDA 's National Organic Program . Organic cattle must be fed 100-percent organically and without antibiotics or hormones . Both natural and organic beef can be either grass - or grain-finished .

Ways to Save

• Buy lean cuts . Often , leaner cuts are cheaper than fatty ones . And when the fat cooks away , lean cuts provide more meat for your dollar .

• Buy in bulk . Large or family-sized packages cost less per pound than smaller packages . Divide into portions , and freeze the surplus .

• Be your own butcher . Beef that has been presliced into steaks or made into patties costs more than less processed meat . Buy bigger cuts , and do some of the preparation work yourself . CookingLight.com : Beef on a Budget

• But do n't go overboard . Advice to buy a side or quarter of beef may seem sensible , but you 'll likely have more meat than you can store . Such a purchase may yield what one buyer describes as `` cheap steak and expensive hamburger . ''

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Copyright 2009 Cooking Light magazine . All rights reserved .

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Humans began domesticating cattle , Bos taurus , about 8,500 years ago

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Americans today consume nearly 63 pounds of beef per person each year

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Most of us tend to stick with beef cuts we know